To create a good promo packet you need to learn how to sell yourself. Your promo packet should revolve around your image and build credibility at the same time. It is not enough to have a description of your act in your promo packet because you want to do everything possible to build value.
Before I go into the details of what should go in your promo packet, I want you to understand that your promo package isn’t as of a big deal as you think it is. No matter how great your promo packet looks, what’s inside, and how it is mailed...they want to see you perform either in person or in a video.
Your promo packet should look simple but elegant. You want to build value so every chance you get you need to include social proof; which means, have quotes, logos of companies, etc.
This is what I put in my promo packet
Intro: The purpose of the introduction is not to just introduce me but to create credibility. The introduction is what lays the foundation for the rest of your promo packet. The number one selling technique is social proof and you need to use this in your introduction.
I start out with a question because questions force the mind to react. A question will focus a person’s thought. The question I start out with asks why Fortune 500 companies hire me. I list the names of companies I have performed for which immediately establishes credibility.
Your introduction should not just introduce you, it needs to show them that you’re a pro. The first impression counts. Imagine an introduction that just says you’re a magician versus an introduction that lists Fortune 500 companies. It is almost like walking into an interview and a shirt and jeans versus a suit and tie.
Clients page:
The second part of the promo packet is the client page. It has a list of clients that I have performed for in the past to provide social proof. I cannot stress this enough, social proof will sell you better than any other persuasion technique you can think of. The clients page provides social proof.
I used to use a testimonial page but only having a couple of quotes does not provide social proof. You need so many testimonials that they can’t read them all and that is what provides social proof.
If you have an impressive list of clients then having a client page is more effective than a testimonial page or pages. If you go to Tim Conover’s website and look at the list of his previous clients you will see hundreds of clients. The list in itself provides social proof because he is performed for so many clients that he must be good.
If you don’t have an impressive list of clients then your next option is to include testimonials and your best clients. Your goal is to overwhelm them with the amount of people you have performed for. It is important that you don’t include Jane Doe because nobody knows who that person is. But if you have a testimonial from Coca-Cola then your value increases dramatically. The people you have performed for can either increase or decrease your value.
Event Description page:
The next part in a promo packet is a page that has a description of what you provide. If you do a stage show then talk about performing a formal show on stage. If you do strolling then talk about cocktail receptions, etc. The importance of the description page is to give them an idea of the type of events you do.
It is more important to describe the events rather than the type of magic you do. Describe how you perform at their cocktail reception or stroll around at their dinner event rather than how you will do card magic for people. You want them to read your text and say to themselves, “This will be perfect, we’re having a cocktail party next month.”
Talk about the benefits of what you do. Instead of saying you do comedy magic, talk about how everyone will laugh so hard their stomachs will hurt. Everything you write should be from their point of view.
Show description page:
It is good to have a description of your show so they can imagine what you do. Get them to see in their mind the results you can produce. Remember, the art of omission is the art of selling. If you tell them you can make an entire deck of cards disappear in their hands then they will want to experience it.
Biography page:
I never liked the idea of a biography but for some reason it is the most viewed thing on your website. Your biography should not just talk about you, it should build social proof at the same time. It is better to say that you have performed on America’s Got Talent rather than saying you like long walks on the beach.
You can have a mixture of social proof in the information about you but remember that you can use your biography page to create value.
DVD:
Always, always, always include a DVD of you performing. People need to see what you do and this holds more weight than what you describe in your act. It is one thing to tell people how funny your performances are and it is another for them to see people laughing so hard that they’re falling on the ground. Always let people see what you do rather than hear about it.
If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on a promo packet then you can create a one sheeter. This one page promo packet is what speakers use. It is like a resume and you want to create social proof by having a list of previous clients, a couple of testimonials, a brief description of your act and the events you do, and a couple of things about you. All you’re doing is taking the information in a promo packet and condensing it to one page.
You can have your promo packet printed, but I recommend you have it in a PDF format so you can e-mail it. I haven’t printed a promo package in over a year because I e-mail them...if I ever send one. Not only do you never spend money on printing but you can also direct them to your website where they can see a video. The promo pack is also available in a download form on my website so it is easy for people to access. You will save a lot of time and hassle by having your promo packet in a PDF format to e-mail rather than printing it and mailing it.
If you want to really stand out then you can have folders printed with your logo on it. I’ve never done this because I never found the need to. It is best to create your promo packet and have it printed each time you need to send it out rather than having 100 packets printed and waiting for people to ask for them. You might need to change information in your packet so you want to have PDF files of your promo packet and print them every time you need to send it.
Always make contact before sending your promo packet. If you don’t, you’re nothing more than spam and junk mail. Never, I repeat...NEVER send your promo packet without asking first. If they tell you they’re not interested then great. They have just qualified themselves to you and told you they won’t hire you. If you send your promo packet without asking for permission then you’re wasting your money.
Imagine if you sent that promo packet to the person who said no. All they would have done was thrown your packet in the trash and there goes your money. Always asks to send it. If they’re not interested in that just means they never would have hired you in the first place.
The most important part of your promo package is a DVD. People need to see you perform and see the results you produce to be comfortable hiring you. That is why most of your gigs will come from people who have seen you perform rather than people you have sent your promo packet to. Most people will take a quick look at the DVD and judge you based on your performance rather than how great your promo packet looks.
I have to admit, a promo pack is not as big of a deal as everyone thinks it is. My promo packet is out of date and there are so many things I would change but I don’t waste my time. I know people are going to glance over the packet and what they really want is to see me perform. I will send them an e-mail and I might attach the promo packet, but the focus is to drive them to my website so they can see the videos of me in action. A single video will sell you better than a well-designed promo packet.
Before I go into the details of what should go in your promo packet, I want you to understand that your promo package isn’t as of a big deal as you think it is. No matter how great your promo packet looks, what’s inside, and how it is mailed...they want to see you perform either in person or in a video.
Your promo packet should look simple but elegant. You want to build value so every chance you get you need to include social proof; which means, have quotes, logos of companies, etc.
This is what I put in my promo packet
Intro: The purpose of the introduction is not to just introduce me but to create credibility. The introduction is what lays the foundation for the rest of your promo packet. The number one selling technique is social proof and you need to use this in your introduction.
I start out with a question because questions force the mind to react. A question will focus a person’s thought. The question I start out with asks why Fortune 500 companies hire me. I list the names of companies I have performed for which immediately establishes credibility.
Your introduction should not just introduce you, it needs to show them that you’re a pro. The first impression counts. Imagine an introduction that just says you’re a magician versus an introduction that lists Fortune 500 companies. It is almost like walking into an interview and a shirt and jeans versus a suit and tie.
Clients page:
The second part of the promo packet is the client page. It has a list of clients that I have performed for in the past to provide social proof. I cannot stress this enough, social proof will sell you better than any other persuasion technique you can think of. The clients page provides social proof.
I used to use a testimonial page but only having a couple of quotes does not provide social proof. You need so many testimonials that they can’t read them all and that is what provides social proof.
If you have an impressive list of clients then having a client page is more effective than a testimonial page or pages. If you go to Tim Conover’s website and look at the list of his previous clients you will see hundreds of clients. The list in itself provides social proof because he is performed for so many clients that he must be good.
If you don’t have an impressive list of clients then your next option is to include testimonials and your best clients. Your goal is to overwhelm them with the amount of people you have performed for. It is important that you don’t include Jane Doe because nobody knows who that person is. But if you have a testimonial from Coca-Cola then your value increases dramatically. The people you have performed for can either increase or decrease your value.
Event Description page:
The next part in a promo packet is a page that has a description of what you provide. If you do a stage show then talk about performing a formal show on stage. If you do strolling then talk about cocktail receptions, etc. The importance of the description page is to give them an idea of the type of events you do.
It is more important to describe the events rather than the type of magic you do. Describe how you perform at their cocktail reception or stroll around at their dinner event rather than how you will do card magic for people. You want them to read your text and say to themselves, “This will be perfect, we’re having a cocktail party next month.”
Talk about the benefits of what you do. Instead of saying you do comedy magic, talk about how everyone will laugh so hard their stomachs will hurt. Everything you write should be from their point of view.
Show description page:
It is good to have a description of your show so they can imagine what you do. Get them to see in their mind the results you can produce. Remember, the art of omission is the art of selling. If you tell them you can make an entire deck of cards disappear in their hands then they will want to experience it.
Biography page:
I never liked the idea of a biography but for some reason it is the most viewed thing on your website. Your biography should not just talk about you, it should build social proof at the same time. It is better to say that you have performed on America’s Got Talent rather than saying you like long walks on the beach.
You can have a mixture of social proof in the information about you but remember that you can use your biography page to create value.
DVD:
Always, always, always include a DVD of you performing. People need to see what you do and this holds more weight than what you describe in your act. It is one thing to tell people how funny your performances are and it is another for them to see people laughing so hard that they’re falling on the ground. Always let people see what you do rather than hear about it.
If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on a promo packet then you can create a one sheeter. This one page promo packet is what speakers use. It is like a resume and you want to create social proof by having a list of previous clients, a couple of testimonials, a brief description of your act and the events you do, and a couple of things about you. All you’re doing is taking the information in a promo packet and condensing it to one page.
You can have your promo packet printed, but I recommend you have it in a PDF format so you can e-mail it. I haven’t printed a promo package in over a year because I e-mail them...if I ever send one. Not only do you never spend money on printing but you can also direct them to your website where they can see a video. The promo pack is also available in a download form on my website so it is easy for people to access. You will save a lot of time and hassle by having your promo packet in a PDF format to e-mail rather than printing it and mailing it.
If you want to really stand out then you can have folders printed with your logo on it. I’ve never done this because I never found the need to. It is best to create your promo packet and have it printed each time you need to send it out rather than having 100 packets printed and waiting for people to ask for them. You might need to change information in your packet so you want to have PDF files of your promo packet and print them every time you need to send it.
Always make contact before sending your promo packet. If you don’t, you’re nothing more than spam and junk mail. Never, I repeat...NEVER send your promo packet without asking first. If they tell you they’re not interested then great. They have just qualified themselves to you and told you they won’t hire you. If you send your promo packet without asking for permission then you’re wasting your money.
Imagine if you sent that promo packet to the person who said no. All they would have done was thrown your packet in the trash and there goes your money. Always asks to send it. If they’re not interested in that just means they never would have hired you in the first place.
The most important part of your promo package is a DVD. People need to see you perform and see the results you produce to be comfortable hiring you. That is why most of your gigs will come from people who have seen you perform rather than people you have sent your promo packet to. Most people will take a quick look at the DVD and judge you based on your performance rather than how great your promo packet looks.
I have to admit, a promo pack is not as big of a deal as everyone thinks it is. My promo packet is out of date and there are so many things I would change but I don’t waste my time. I know people are going to glance over the packet and what they really want is to see me perform. I will send them an e-mail and I might attach the promo packet, but the focus is to drive them to my website so they can see the videos of me in action. A single video will sell you better than a well-designed promo packet.
